After ChatGPT-powered Bing was recently launched, Google is having a tough time. Now, even Samsung is considering moving to Bing on its Galaxy phones and tablets. So, Google is scrambling to introduce and upgrade its existing search engine with AI features. It will reportedly be known as Project ‘Magi’ and is said to provide a far more personalized experience than the company’s current service.
Google currently has over 160 designers, engineers, executives, and other staff working on the project ‘Magi’. Last week, employees were invited to test the waters for Google’s ‘Magi’ AI on its search engine with a possible launch in May 2023, which sounds like I/O 2023. The launch will see Magi come almost barebones with limited features, with more features coming this fall.
This sudden race for an early launch is all because of Samsung as it is currently in the negotiation stages with Microsoft to make Bing the default search engine on its Galaxy devices. This includes Android-based smartphones and tablets. Google learned about the talks between Samsung and Microsoft and that the South Korean firm was considering switching to Bing for its devices.
As noted by The New York Times, Google strongly believes that Samsung’s preference for Microsoft Bing as the default search engine for its Galaxy devices is because of the AI features it offers. And the fact that Samsung is already considering the switch to Bing has put Google into ‘panic’ mode.
This is why Google is working hard to bring the Magi AI to its search engine and come up with a counter-pitch of its own to Samsung. There are chances that Samsung may skip Microsoft’s ship for Google, but only if Google manages to bring something lucrative to the table (such as lower pricing for Google Mobile Services licensing). Google Magi’s initial launch will be only in the US, with a maximum of one million users. Later, by the year’s end, it will expand to 30 million users.
